Resilient wheel.



Patented m. 7; 1915.

arniwr rno JOHN F. NETTLE, 0F BUTTE, MONTANA.

nssrmnur WHEEL.

Application filed November 7, 1913.

To all whom it moi concern: 4

Be it known that I, JOHN F. NETTLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Butte, in the county of Silverbow and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Resilient Wheel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in resilient Wheels, and has for an Object to provide a Wheel which retains the characteristics of a Wheel provided with a pneu' matic tire while presenting means to the earth orroad bed which cannot be punctured or readily injured.

,dSinother object of the invention is to provide a resilient wheel with an annular pneumatic tube, and with a eating contact members substantially radiating from the tube, whereby the tube does not at any time come in contact with the ground, and

the varlous reciprocating members are permitted independent movement.

In carrying out the obJect oi the invention a wheel structure of substantially any form may be provided. On the wheel structure is arranged a specially constructed felly which carries a pneumatic tube, and also a pair of side plates for holding the tube properly' in place. Arrangedbetween the side plates are contact members which re-. eiprocate, the movement being at a tangent. These contact members are arranged in the form of plungers with one end bearing against the pneumatic tube, whereby each contact member is independent in its movement, and may be compressed without affecting the next adjacent contact member. By these means when the wheel is in use W any small obstruction, as for instance a stone may be passed over without causing any appreciable j'olt or jar as the particular contact member engaging the same will be depressed, while the remaining contact members will be engaging the surrounding earth. are caused to move at a tangent, preferably, so as to give a slight pushing action during the rotation of the wheel and thereby give out some of the energystored therein when the pneumatic tube is compressed by the, contact members.

, In the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

plurality of reciproare provided Patented Dec. '7, 1915.

Serial in. 799,683.

is a side view of a wheel embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away for better illustrating the construction; Fig. 2 is a section through Fig. 1 on line 2-2; Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, but disclosing a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numeral 1 indicates a hub, and 2,spokes connected with the hub, and with a folly 3. The felly 3 is formed with flanges a and 5 for receiving the flanges of side plates 6 and 7, whereby the side plates may he bolted to the flanges at and 5 as shown in Fig. .2. Fig. 3 is also provided with a grooved portion Sin which a pneumatic tube 9 is placed. l neumatic tube 9 is formed with shouldered portions 10 against which the enlarged faces.

11 of the contact members 12 rest, whereby the pressure from the contact members is distributed over an appreciable area. The various contact members 12 are held in place by suitable blocks 13 bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the side plates 6 and 7. These blocks limit the outward movement of the meu'lhcrs 12 but permit the members 12 to move inwardly substantially any dis.- tance within the limits of the size of the pneumatic tube 9. Anti-friction members in members 13 so the contact members 12 move freely in their back and forth ll'lOVGlllGIlt. The contact faces of contact members 12 are preferably provided with a shoe 14 formed of metal, rubber, or other suitable material.

In Fig. 8 will be seen a modified form of the invention in which a pair of pneumaticv as to make 1 In a resilient wheel of the character de' scribed, a folly, a pair of retaining plates rigidly secured to said folly, a pneumatic tube arranged on said felly between said plates, said pneumatic tube with flat shoulder portions, the normal of which would be at a tangent, a. plunger being formed i resting on each of said messes shoulders, said plunger being formed with overhanging por tions, ing plates arranged betwee plungers for holding the and means connected with said retainn the respective plungers spaced apart and guiding the same in a' reciprocatory movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN F. NETTLE.

Witnesses:

JOHN \V. JOHNS, SAMUEL BARKER, Jr. 

